Beacons of Hope

[Mikasa361]

~Aurelius: Mission prep- Kick some Grublin ass!~

 

Soon the entire group made it to the main temple, with varying levels of emotional states. He could feel Monica’s dagger-gaze from where she was, but did not wish to give her the pleasure of a response. Aurelius looked around, much to his delight, everyone was at least somewhat interested in what is going to be happening. He hoped that this mission would boost some morale, especially considering that everyone was getting restless. Aurelius took a deep breath, taking in the peaceful air. It was always nice being in the presence of the gods, it always gave him hope, even when the Beacons just seemed completely hopeless. Sometimes he hoped that the gods gave the Beacons the same strength- he had seen at least Zhibek in the man sanctuary before. Finally, he was ready to speak, which was never his strong suit.

 

“Good afternoon, all,” Aurelius spoke, “I am thankful that you all heeded my call. Now, to cut to the chase, as I am aware that some of you have the patience of a nest of hornets. This will be your first mission, which is to gather any surviving relatives that we all may have… Yes, myself included, although my area was one of the hardest hit so my hopes are not high. I understand that you all have been getting a bit restless, some more than others. Even if you have nobody to bring home, my apologies for opening up wounds, but this will still provide an excellent opportunity for you all to train. Some areas are going to be much safer than others, evidently enough. But while the mission itself will not be particularly difficult physically, it may be emotionally taxing. I understand this, for I may also be tried. But nonetheless, we are all going.” Aurelius looked at the mixed reactions of the group; some were absolutely eager, others were disdained, and the rest were apathetic. Armin did not seem to care, Evonna looked relieved… And Zhibek was probably the most elated besides James. Aurelius himself was a bit apprehensive; he had put off starting a mission for a while because he was unaware of how everyone would fare.

 

Aurelius walked to the center dragon statue of the room, made of pure clinohumite. He placed his palm on its center, and the circle of statues lit up. Aurelius stepped out of the circle and faced the Beacons again. “This is our main teleportation pad. It will take us to any area in the world, so long as the teleporter on the other side is working. It works with my psychic ability, so if the pad in the area is broken, then we go to the nearest pad. Teleporters outside of these islands do not look this elaborate, though. Now, we are going to go to Canada first, Quebec to be exact. I have detected an energy there, we should make sure it’s not going to blow up the world or something. Step on, it will not work until I also am on the pad, specifically when my hand touches the center statue again. Go on. Do not be afraid.” Everyone started to make their way into the circle, again with varying reactions. Some were extremely reluctant to step on, but one they did, Aurelius made his way to the pad. He took another deep breath and placed his palm on the chest of the gemstone dragon. Instantly he felt a jolt in his stomach and a massive migraine, making it hard to open his eyes.

 

Soon he found himself in some old suburbs, looking quite broken down. Evonna immediately recognized the neighborhood and started running to the nearest house. Aurelius shouted after her. “Wait, Evonna! You have no idea if there are enemies around!” He took a look around and saw a horde of Grublins about a quarter mile away. He blinked. “Ah, by the gods…” He looked further, seeing some Orcs and… His eyes widened in worry. There was a troll pretty far into the distance as well, barely in the horizon. Hell...

Edited April 3, 2018 by Mikasa361

[Mikasa361]

~@ Basil~

Two Grublins notice a human with wings and very pink looking hair. It looked very enticing to try and beat up, and these things looked like fun targets as a whole. The two flew over to the boy and prepared their clubs, as they approached they got ready to swing…

…

 

~@ Jess and Kyle~

The same went with three other Grublins. They approach Jess and Kyle with speed, preparing to hit…

…

 

~@ Armin~

The last Grublin makes it to Armin. He swings, and…

…

 

~Armin- My poor face…~

 

The club cracked Armin across the face, getting him right in the nose. He yelped and backed up, feeling electric currents run over his skin as he grew more and more terrified of this place- and of his attacker. Armin screamed, allowing a surge of electricity to come towards the Grublin. It hit instantly, shocking the Grublin and making it twitch violently. It soon landed on the ground, a crispy smoking carcass. Armin, in his shock, backed away further and stared at it intensely. I… Did… That…

…

 

~Evonna- All of my memories crushed.~

 

Evonna had begun to run to her house. She heard Aurelius call for her, “Wait, Evonna! You have no idea if there are enemies around!” Evonna didn’t care. She had a house to come back to, a family to save. They’re all there, I just know it! They’re waiting for me, they were waiting for me to come home! She ran closer and closer, until she noticed a gaping hole in the roof. They may still be okay, they may still be okay… Evonna took out her key and opened the door…

 

…To find the remains of her Mere and Pere. Her heart dropped. There had been flowers left behind, decaying with time. Evonna felt a sickness in her stomach. Mere… Pere… no… no no no no no no no… Evonna could not believe it. She had waited and worried for so long, and here was her closure. Here was the last of her family she had left- her brother was probably gone too, as much time as he spent in the basement. Her hurt and her sadness quickly began to bubble into an emotion much more raw and horrifying. She grit her teeth and soon sent a torrent of icy wind throughout the house. Any pictures that were left on the walls started to ice over, the glass cracking and shattering everywhere.

 

The windows cracked on contact, the shards landing on the floor near where her parents lay. Evonna let out a screech as the temperature in the house dropped. All of those years of love, of life, of hope… She was never going to see them alive again. She would never see  their smiles or their faces when she showed them her report cards. They would never see her finish school. They would never see her get married, have children (or at least get a cat), they would see none of it.

 

The cold wind subsided. As the room slowly warmed up again from the last efforts of the breaking heating system, Evonna picked up one of the photos that was on the floor and clutched it close, sobbing immensely from the heartbreak. They were gone. And there was nothing she could do about it.

 

...She never even had the chance to say goodbye.

Edited March 27, 2018 by Mikasa361

[Eto]

[ basil lucius solomon vertis ; 

requiem -- ]

 

The air is -- bright.

 

The mission. Basil is still not too clear what exactly they are supposed to be doing -- seeking? Searching for another Beacon? It is all well and proper, on paper, but the thought of meeting someone new takes his breath away. He is apprehensive, because he knows his established routine and the limits of his comfort, and he does not know how a stranger would play into that. If anything, he is -- nervous. 

 

It is this thought that causes him to stray; he is thinking, a little too much, and Basil flutters his wings and picks himself up from the rest of the group, slowly separating as a background mirage as the others are preoccupied with other things -- as they should be. He lands a little while away, staring at the row of houses nearby and the dwarf in someone's front yard, blinking at the small figure. It is not painted neatly anymore, more a relic of a past than a lawn ornament, and Basil stares at the chipped red hat and smiling face --

 

Wham! Something hits him from behind and the breath is knocked out of him -- he stumbles back, a gasp stolen from between his lips, and just as he turns around something else hits him with equal force across the side of the ribs, and Basil flinches, recoiling back. He attempts to use his powers, but -- he does not know, he cannot remember --

 

It is always like this. He freezes up, he can not do anything, he is -- helpless.

 

The fluttering of the monsters before him, like large, angry house flies, is terrifying -- and it is this thought that clouds his mind, shoves all other awareness from his confused state, and Basil does what he knows to do -- fly. Since childhood, he flies.

 

So he flies upwards, across the distance and from the line of houses, away from the gathering of people and the messy memories surrounding them, and the comfort of what he knows -- into the unknown. The grublins, persistent as they may be -- will leave him alone once he has flown far enough, no?

 

So he continues, speedily onwards -- translucent wings reflecting the early morning's light. 

[HomeForFlowers]

Ryo | Unknown location in Quebec

 

Despite the training provided beforehand, Ryo couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nervousness as the beacons arrived at the destination of their first mission. Ryo took a step forward, breathing in the cold, crisp air as he examined his surroundings. He wasn’t entirely sure what the world on the ground would look like, but he wasn’t entirely surprised to see the buildings of the suburbs ridden with rot and beaten down by old age. Ryo stole a glance at his two friends, feeling a light warmth in his chest as he caught sight of Teryn look at her surroundings and Basil idly flying about. Ryo wasn’t confident that he knew what to do, but so long as he could keep his eyes on his friends, he was sure he’d be fine.

 

Unfortunately, the world had other plans. One of the girls ran off before further instructions could be given and it seemed as though the suburbs were occupied just not by humans. As the disgusting creatures began lumbering towards the group, Ryo’s eyes went straight to his companions. His heart sank as he saw two of the beasts swinging at Basil, causing the boy to stare at them in terrify before fleeing.

 

“Basil!” Ryo called, his body moving towards the creatures before his mind could process what he was doing. Flames tickled his fingertips and bloomed into flames as he neared the monsters. One of them, still moving towards Basil, turned its head to look at Ryo just in time to see flames burst from his hand. A noise akin to a growl rippled through Ryo’s throat as he grabbed the creature’s head, allowing the flames to engulf it completely eliciting a horrid screech to emit to it. Just as the sound reached Ryo’s ears, his mind finally caught up to him. Horrified, Ryo shoved the monster away, watching in terror as it collapsed to the ground, the flames still dancing upon its body.

 

“I--” Ryo took a step back, his ears flattened against his skull as he stared down at his hands. The flickered away, leaving nothing but embers and soot to stain his hands. Ryo felt his breathing quicken. The attack, completely missing the other monster, allowed the fallen creature’s companion to assess the situation before turning its head to hiss at Ryo. A breath caught in Ryo’s throat and he took a step back, his chest constricted by a flare of emotion. His heart had nearly broken in two when he saw Basil being attacked, but now that the rush was gone and all he was left with was the consequences of his actions, Ryo wasn’t sure what to do. His tails flickering wildly behind him, Ryo took another step back, sheer horror evident on his face.

[skwerl56767]

--------------------------------------------------------------
Reive Tackle - Basil: 20
Reive Attack - Kyle's Grublin 1: 17 (critical +2)
Skahtii "Scorpion Strike" - Jess's Grublin: 11 (poison damage. Attack, Defense, and Speed decrease)
Skahtii Tail Strike - Basil's Punted Grublin: 1
--------------------------------------------------------------

 

   Quebec, Canada

   Reive was not happy at the news. Skahtii felt almost indifferent, shoving the last of his dinner rolls in his mouth. Reuniting with families? What for? he wondered. I guess I could meet tichi again... The Scorp strained to uproot any sort of interest or feelings he had for the scavengers that raised him, but aside from one in particular that he suppressed, there were none. Besides, they'll be fine, he excused, We've always been fine.
   Reive could only think about how his entire tribe will have died already, either succumbing to the elements or torn up by the Entity's armies. A scowl etched itself into his icy brow. There was nothing to return to. That's why the Guardians praised him for focusing so well during training.

   The two stepped into the circle with the others. Skahtii glanced around for someone to hand his last snack to, but he felt conspicuously small behind Reive and by Mal. So he ate the last one himself just before the teleport; and it was not the best idea. After the whoosh of transportation Skahtii almost gagged, and not because of the slight nausea; he was used to that. It was eating something, having your atoms disperse, and then reform hundreds of kilometers away with the atoms in your mouth also reforming! That's just not right! He hastily swallowed; yet as soon as that sensation was gone, he realized the piercing cold.

   "Dude!" he gasped, huddling between his two giant comrades. "Why is this place so cold?!"

   "Canada," Reive said flatly.

   "Yeah but, doesn't it have farms or something?!"
   “Wait, Evonna! You have no idea if there are enemies around!” Aurelius suddenly shouted. Reive's head snapped up, and he realized that their safety was gone as quickly as the base: Evonna was running off, attracting the attention of nearby foes, just barely too many to count. A score? Maybe less?

   Despite all of his training, Reive found himself temporarily paralyzed when the Grublins hurtled toward the group, astoundingly fast. Already one had attacked Armin and two at Basil, a bolt of lightning and one was already down and another was in flames-

   "DUDE out of the way!!"
   Reive was roughly shoved aside by Skahtii. Forced into action by the touch, the Draconoid swiftly pulled out his trident and speared a Grublin to his left in mid-swing. The ugly creature's club missed Kyle's nose by inches, quickly falling limp. Habitually, Reive jerked the Grublin off his trident as if he were a fish, just barely processing that he had killed something more intelligent than a hare.
   ...It wouldn't do to think about that.
   Skahtii, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying himself? With a bounce in his step he intercepted a Grublin heading for Jess, and quick as Armin's lightning he had speared its arm with his tail. The whiplash of the strike released the Grublin, but it was dazed, the wing beats becoming sluggish.
   "Yeeeah!" He cheered, excited by the hit. He whipped around and pursued it as it flew past him, but already things had exploded into chaos. He confused his target with one close to James and raced toward it.

   James kicked that Grublin like a master soccer player. Skahtii didn't anticipate the hilarious move and got a face full of corpse.
   SMACK! Skahtii flew back several feet, completely caught off guard by both the impact and the stench! Reive was too occupied trying to figure out what was going on to do anything to help him or anyone else. He kept flipping around, beaked muzzle pointing at something different with each passing second.
   Focus! The Draconoid kept telling himself, Focus!
   He finally sheathed his trident on his back, feet flying into motion. He had to make the chaos stop!
   Before Reive knew it a small body impacted him, and for a second he assumed it was a Grublin until he realized that it smelled a bit like him and Ryo. He held on and two tumbled to the ground, Reive taking the brunt of it with the point of his snout before falling onto his side. The buzz of wings through the air was drowning everything out. He couldn't tell who he had tackled, only that it was too big and wiry to be a foe. It didn't smell enough like Ryo to be him. Was it Ryo? All he could hear was the deafening thrum of those wings, collective shouts and cries, a couple of sparks, and some thrashing as Skahtii tried to get out from under the Grublin corpse.

   ((Logging in IC: Ryo and James actions are approved))

Edited March 31, 2018 by skwerl56767

[ValidEmotions]

Monica | Fear | Fear Me

She groaned, uttering a complaint beneath her breath, as Aurelius called all of the Beacons with his invasive mental broadcast. Monica obeyed it though, anticipating something good for once. She was tired of being bored. Stepping away from the punching bag and stuffing her hands into her pockets, she mumbled something along the lines of "let's get going" and left the training room.

 

Monica definitely wasn't ready for the teleportation. Dizzy, she stumbled a couple steps backwards when the group arrived in... where was it? Canada? Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, hoping the nausea would ebb sooner than later, she tried to take in her surroundings before doing anything else. The world, it would seem, had other plans. As Evonna ran off like an idiot, Ryley following with a shout similar to Aurelius', giant ugly flies were suddenly upon the group.

 

Looking about, she tried to pinpoint a target but they were either already dead, dying, or tangled up with other Beacons. Frustration bubbled up into her chest, annoyance tingling her mouth as she felt her magic build. To Hell with this.... 

 

Crimson wisps fluttered at her lips as faint echoes began to drift on her inhale. In a fluid motion, she slid her headphones over her ears and parted her lips, exhaling. With a wail, the wisps of magic burst forward, expanding into larger tendrils the further away they traveled. The burst of magic reached the Grublins, knocking them off their feet or leaving them trembling before they hit the ground. 

 

Ryley | Electricity | We Shouldn't Be Alone

Hurrying after Evonna, Ryley halted when the other girl disappeared into a house. Bending over to rest their hands on their knees, they panted heavily for a few moments before sucking in a fresh breath of air, standing straighter. Walking towards the old home, they hesitated at the doorway, watching the remains of an icy layer thaw away from the walls. "Uh... Evonna? It's... It's not safe..." Ryley murmured, anxious. 

 

Stepping into the house, they continued to hover at the threshold, glancing over their shoulder. "Are... Are you going to be okay?" they asked, tentatively.

Edited April 3, 2018 by ValidEmotions

[Mikasa361]

~Evonna- Only one thing left to do.~

 

"Are... Are you going to be okay?"

 

Evonna looked behind her, seeing Ryley standing there and looking over their shoulder. Tears in her eyes, she stayed silent for quite a while. To spare Ry the discomfort of being stared at, she looked back at the corpses of her parents. They were definitely gone. Nothing was going to bring them back. Evonna's shoulders heaved with every sob. She was definitely not okay. But as the minutes dragged, Evonna's crying slowed and eventually stopped. She felt nothing. In her mind, everything was gone. If something happened to her, she had nothing to lose. But... What would they have thought if they saw her give up right in front of them? If she just took a knife... No. It would never do for her parents, much less Jehan. She carefully whispered, "Mere... Pere... Jehan... I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." There was really only one thing left to do- go through what was left of the house and take whatever she could salvage. She folded up the photo of her family that she held and put it in her pocket. Then she went to both bodies and gathered their wedding rings- a memento that she refused to let some scavenger come for. Perhaps she could salvage some clothing- it was rather cold up here.

 

Evonna turned around again to look at Ryley. "Let's go through the house. I'm sure there are things that we can salvage. Some food for the journey, clothing, hopefully some money... Let's hope those ******* scavengers didn't touch my house." She had hardened, refusing to let any more emotions escape her. Here she was, the lone survivor of a family massacre, saved only by seclusion from the outside world. Aurelius had managed to save her, and how he's given her closure by allowing her to see the results. How bittersweet. Evonna went deeper into the house. Ryley would probably notice how she refused to go near the basement. She seemed to stay within the ground floor and the upstairs, coming back with bag after bag of items. It appeared that most of the perishable items had been gone. Evonna didn't care. She could live off of beans and canned veggies if she had to. Everyone else could too. This was her contribution to the cause- clothes and food. 

 

She heard a scream in the distance- it sounded as if Monica or Kyle were using their powers. She assumed Monica- Kyle didn't seem to scream as much. Did she know what was going on? Unless she left the house, she could only speculate. Perhaps there was a battle, but Evonna had a different task- gather all of the things that everyone will need and any memories that will keep her grounded. It was the only way she felt she could survive the nightmare that was her grief. 

 

~@ Everyone outside- Beep Beep . ~

 

A horde of Orcs began to approach the group- about sixteen. Aurelius had just felt a surge of pride when everyone managed to take the Grublins down with speed. Now he felt fear. Orcs were much stronger than Grublins, and this many was going to exterminate the entire group, especially with their lack of proper training. It would take more than a Monica scream to get this group of Orcs to surrender, he just knew it!

 

Zhibek started running in the direction of Basil, as the Orcs were going to reach him first. She knew it was going to be a long shot, but if she could blast some wind, maybe she could blow them away. Armin was going to be no help, he ran away from the Orcs. They all had crossbows and axes, and those weapons looked freshly sharpened. Zhibek was so close, one almost got her---

 

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!

 

 

A school bus sped down the street and smashed into almost 3/4 of the Orcs. 11 Orcs were run over, leaving the remaining five confused. They looked at the bus, then at the Beacons. They charged at the bus until the doors slammed wide open. A stream of fire roasted the first Orc near the bus to a crisp. The rest looked at their companion and then at each other. Then they ran to the Beacons. One approached Mal, its axe looking menacing. Another went to K'lee, its crossbow loaded and ready. The last two, also with axes, came after Claris and Ryo. Meanwhile a tall, handsome young man hopped off of the bus near Basil, chuckling at his victory. 

 

"Ha-HA!!!  yeah that was AWESOME! BOOM baby!" His voice rasped with excitement. A glimpse of silver flashed whenever he opened his mouth. The young man flipped his hair and then casually leaned against the bus, giving the group a finger gun. "Yo."

 

Aurelius looked in awe, but then put a finger to his temple....

[Eto]

[ basil lucius solomon vertis ; 

the valkyrie -- ]

 

Something interrupts his flight -- Basil sees just the shadow of a large something approaching from the corner of his eye before the breath is knocked out of him, his thoughts scattering as the thing -- person? -- who had crashed into him causes him to lose his rhythm, his wings beating erratically against the fast winds just as the weight of the stranger brings them both to the ground. Basil, in the panic of -- who, what, when? -- has just enough time to remember to fold his wings, tucking them close to his side just as they hit the ground, the impact of their joined collision causing the ground to jolt underneath him, hard and fast as gravel scrapes against his palms and Basil gasps.

 

Breathe -- breathe -- it is okay, he is not dead, and not grievously injured. But what has happened? He is trying to gather his thoughts, but at the same time is distracted by the feel of the ground underneath his body and the chaos of the battlefield around them, and his throat tightens. But he knows this person, the one who is by his side and has wrapped his arms around him in the chaos of the fall. He squirms. 

 

"Reive," he says, and then he hits his friend -- not hardly, just lightly enough on the arm to make him release his grasp. "Reive, let go." 

 

He is just gathering up his thoughts, trying to piece together the last couple minutes in his mind -- his back is really sore, and his palms are dirty. It bothers him, this sudden disparity in his otherwise known schedule, and Basil has half a mind to back off from this battle and go hide somewhere until the fighting is over.

 

And then --

 

A -- a car?

 

The noise is wholly unpleasant, and Basil's displeasure is clear on his face as he pales, watching as a school bus is rammed abruptly into the hoard of approaching orcs. Who -- what?

 

A male hops off then, making his grand entrance -- dark hair, bright, playful eyes, and a flash of silver between his teeth when he talks. He seems entirely too calm for having just slammed a bus into some monsters, but, well -- Basil is not here to judge the actions or thoughts of others. It is this thought that causes him to stand up, dusting his hands off before him, and fluttering his wings slightly to ease them from the cramped, folded position they had been in preparation for the fall. Staring at the other curiously, Basil does not speak -- he feels a sudden shyness, the same feeling he has when meeting anyone new, and has half a mind to find Roy and hide behind the fox-boy's tails.

 

Unsure what to do, and suddenly aware he has drawn attention to himself by standing up, Basil meets the new boy's eyes for a brief second before he looks away, embarrassed, and immediately crouches down again, half-hiding behind Reive as his wings flutter anxiously. 

[ValidEmotions]

Ryley | Electricity | Can We Go Back Now?

 

They continued to watch Evonna as the girl spoke and moved around the house, grabbing an assortment of personal effects and stuffing them into a suitcase. Eventually, Ryley stepped closer and started folding the articles of clothing that weren't quite neatly placed. "I don't think anyone did," Ryley murmured. At the sound of a wail in the distance, they stopped and look back towards the front door, left open by their entrance. "I think something's wrong..." they breathed. 

 

Evonna moved past them, suitcase sealed and in hand. Hurrying to their feet, they rushed to follow the other Beacon back outside. "W-Wait...!" Ryley gasped, not wanting to be left behind. Outside, they could see something where the group had been. Was that a school bus? Squinting, they noticed the monstrous creatures and brought a hand up to their face. "Oh no! Something did happen!" they exclaimed,  picking up their pace to hurry back to the others.

[Mikasa361]

~Jehan- LOL you thought I was dead.~

 

Jehan looks at the small young man with a raised eyebrow, until he realizes he may have come off a bit too strongly. Maybe the fire was too much- it scared the crap out of him when he first learned he could do that. He smiled with warmth at the sight of new people, especially hybrids. After all, there was a time once where he would’ve been treated the same as the hybrids. There were three near him- one woman and two men. One of the men had large, fluffy white tails that Jehan just wanted to bury his face in. The girl had wings, mechanical bird like legs, and a scowl that not even his sister’s face could match. Note to self: Do not anger that one. The young man who quivered in fear was so small and fragile… His wings though, this man was so… So beautiful. He waved at the three carefully.

 

“Hey, sorry if my fire scared you- Ahhh .” One of the Orcs that survived was behind the fox man, with its axe at the ready. “Behind you-” As the man turned around, he was slashed in the shoulder by the axe. Jehan shouted, but was cut off by the man shooting a fireball at the Orc. It was hurt, but it was still standing. No… Way… HE had powers too? ….Well, Jehan wasn’t the only freak. That was reassuring. Jehan launched fire breath at the Orc and left it burning for a few seconds. In that time, he ran into the bus and came out with his first aid kid. “Hang on, man! i gotcha.” Jehan opened the kit and looked for some gauze and enough pads to cover the several-centimeter-long gash.

 

…

 

~Evonna- Wake Me Up~

 

Evonna noticed the large school bus, but the numbness she felt overpowered her confusion. She put her things down and caught up with the others. Around her, the air became cold again. Her powers were slightly harder to control, but she didn’t give a damn about it. Defeated, she fell to her knees and watched, her eyes blank and cold. She thought she saw someone familiar, but alas, she was probably seeing things. 

Edited April 4, 2018 by Mikasa361

[TehUltimateMage]

James Stannis | Quebec Suburbs | 3, 2, 1, Go!

 

James took a deep breath in through his nose, letting the crisp air shock his senses and clear his head.

 

The location didn't look too familiar at first -- north american suburbs like anywhere else, but looking at the street names and the houses, James paused. Familiarity dawned on him, or at least, some memory of this place from many years ago. Not much has changed. The houses were in the same place. But the neighborhood lacked a certain spark of life from it. All the cars were gone or were left unoperated for a long time. No children played ball-hockey in the middle of the street, nor were there any seniors taking leisurely strolls.

It was just... dead.

 

Immediately, Evonna ran off -- her mind probably also sparked with recognition though maybe her memories of this place were much more vivid than his. Had they been neighbors without realizing it, long ago?

Regardless, he got his wish. Time to fight!

James did regret not bringing anything from the island to swing at the monsters. Even a plank would have been fine, but he made do with what he already had. Charging at one of the Grubblins, James let out a war cry. Channeling the lessons on technique from PE class, he swung his foot at the enemy and his sneaker collided with it, sending it flying like a football, straight into the face of one of the other Beacons, the yellow demihuman with too many arms.

 

"Nice catch!" he cheered, adrenaline running through his veins. Grubblins were easy. Time to move on.

 

Monica's screech froze him for a moment from its power, but when he was able to move again he had his eyes trained on the hulking forms in the distance. Finally, a challenge! The young man clenched his right hand into a fist and used the other to steady the rim of his hat, feeling the energy of the earth welling up inside him and ready to explode outwards.

 

-- Except the orcs literally got hit by a bus. Annoyed and dumbfounded by the kill steal, James drooped his shoulders and looked back to say to no one in particular: "Really? Really?"

 

There were still orcs that were standing, but James was more concerned with this new stranger. "Who is this and who the hell does he think he is?! I thought we were the last Beacons in the world!!" he questioned Aurelius, pointing an accusing finger straight at Jehan and his magical fire attacks.

 

((posting for Claris once I confirm my rolls))

[Mikasa361]

~Aurelius- Why are you accusing me?~

 

Aurelius raised his hands up, indicating that he was just as confused as James was. "Don't ask me! I assumed that all of the Beacons had been gathered up months ago. I suppose Octavius must have missed a Beacon or two..." Indeed, the late head Guardian Octavius had told the other Guardians that he had gathered everyone. Had he been wrong? Were there more? This was strange, but Aurelius had taken Octavius' word ever since he was taken in at the age of twelve. Nothing seemed more absurd than the thought of Octavius of being wrong. But though the Guardians were psychic, they were not omniscient. It was all too possible that Octavius could have missed a few. Looking at Jehan, unknown to Aurelius other than the new Beacon, this was proof of the fact that Octavius missed at least one other Beacon. Aurelius felt a part of himself feeling betrayed, but he knew that this was not going to be something he could hold against a dead man. The safety and well being of the Beacons was on him alone. So, he shook his head and shook off the feelings of hurt. Here he was, seeing a new Beacon with evident knowledge of his powers. Did he know what he was? Did he know why he had those powers? Aurelius doubted the latter. He tried sending a psychic blast at an Orc, praying it worked, but he knew it was in vain. He was one of the weaker Guardians, still trying to advance his own powers. With nothing to practice on, it proved difficult. So he sighed and placed his fingers to his temple again.

[TehUltimateMage]

Claris Day | Quebec Suburbs | Shadow Strike!

 

When she saw Monica reach for her headphones --a clear signal that she was preparing an attack -- Claris put her own pair over her ears to block out the noise. Not moving more than she had to, the girl pulled up her hood and scarf in response to the cold and squinted, peering out into the distance where a bunch of monsters seemed to sense them and approach for a rather violent welcome party.

 

In such a low-density housing area, there weren't many places to hide and the houses were far apart. The hairs on the back of her neck were raised from the discomfort of not knowing if anything were to sneak up behind her.

 

Even through the headphones she could hear the wailing of an automobile as it flew down the road, After it screeched to a halt -- taking a dozen ugly monsters down along with it -- Claris bounded towards one of the remaining orcs, hoping to catch one of them by surprise with the knife in her pocket.

 

The brute took aim with its crossbow, but either it was lucky or Claris was too slow. Pain shot up her leg when bolt had embedded itself in her thigh. She left out a sharp breath through her clenched teeth. Pain had never stopped her before.

 

Claris melted into the shadows right before she reached the orc, and for a split second she faded out of existence (to the confusion of the monster) before she reappeared behind its back in a shower of dark particles, bringing down her blade, cloaked in her element, into the beast's back.

 

~~~

 

James Stannis | Quebec Suburbs | .......

 

He was, to put it mildly, unsatisfied with Aurelius' answer. But he hung his head and didn't ask any more questions since the all-knowing old man didn't seem to have any more answers. James narrowed his eyes, squinting at the tan-skinned, long-haired man whose timing was too perfect. He didn't even want to look at him. So he didn't. He averted his eyes, assuming that the stranger had it under control with the help of the others that were already there.

 

Turning his back on the group of orcs out of defiance, James peered into the distance, where he was the first to spot Evonna's return.

 

"Evonna!" he shouted. He saw her form, crumpled into a heap on the chill concrete with Ryley not far behind -- the beacon looking afraid and unsure of what they should do in this situation.

 

He closed the distance between them as fast as he could, wind biting into his ears and his heart loud in his head. "Evonna...!" he repeated, quieter this time, short on breath.

 

He didn't even think. He dropped down to his knees and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest despite the air around them getting colder and colder.

 

"Evonna..."

[Mikasa361]

~Evonna- Letting it out.~

 

Evonna felt a warm embrace surround her. It was James, she could tell by the sound of his voice. It was familiar, it usually irked her, but it was a voice she needed. His tone was soft, knowing that she was broken. While he may never understand how she felt, just knowing she wasn’t okay was enough. Her face crumpled and, again, she began to sob. Evonna buried her face further in his chest and allowed the heaves to take over her body. The smell of his fresh, clean shirt was comforting, and the shirt itself was soft. Evonna took some solace that the only ones she had left were her fellow Beacons. They may not have gotten along, but it was moments like this that Evonna cherished most- those that gave her a rock in times of crisis like this, when all she could do was cry. Those times Evonna had wanted to punch James in the face were still some pleasant memories. They were what she was going to face from now on.

 

Evonna gripped James’ shirt and shuddered and wailed, her cries stifled by the clean, now-soaked cotton of the shirt. She felt those arms clutch her tightly, just barely keeping her rooted to reality. Not like she was going to tell anyone, but maybe she trusted James a little more.

 

~Zhibek- Hell.~

 

What had this mission come to? So much happened in less than an hour! It was this hour in which Zhibek experienced a rush of excitement, knowing battle was well under way. She didn’t get a good chance to attack, but that was okay! She took pride in seeing her fellows kick some serious Grublin ass.

 

Of course, seeing that bus barge in was a nice little change of pace. The guy who came out? Ugh, Zhibek was in heaven. He was so beautiful, and pierced like she was. The eyebrow piercing was a very nice touch as well. She wanted to approach, but Ryo was slashed- WHAT WAS GOING ON?

 

 

[Mikasa361]

~@ J/Yle~

 

A fourth Orc comes in towards Jess and Kyle. It aims, and shoots at Kyle. Luckily with the wind, it only shoots downwards into his foot. 

[Esko]

Jess - Earth - not really paying much attention anyway

 

Why had she agreed to come here? 

 

Wait, no, scratch that. It wasn't like she had a choice, anyway. Why hadn't she protested, tried to stay behind, do a mutiny? Those thoughts, among others, zipped through Jess's head as she found herself confronted with orcs. That's what they were called, right? And who had come up with the idea to rescue family? Sure, it was a sweet gesture and all, but shouldn't they be more focused on saving the world? Jesus, that sounded like something Kyle would say. Though, he was completely on board with the idea, last time she was able to talk with him. He wanted to see his mom again, apparently. 

 

Jess grumbled, standing there as the two orcs went on to attack the others. She was half-tempted to leave the one going after the snake-thing; she didn't like the way she looked at some of the boys, and there was a possibility that she'd oggle Kyle next. But, then she'd feel guilty about the death. Everything would be easier if she couldn't feel things. Wait, no, that's too edgy. She didn't pay too much attention to the others; maybe she'd have a better chance of living if she was on her feet, but she didn't really feel like it. Whichever god chose her as their tool was a moron, unless they elected to use a random generator. In which case, they were all morons.

 

Alas, an orc was going after someone. The sooner these things were dead, the sooner they could go home. No, not home; back to the prison, that's what she meant. She did want to go home, but diving into danger to look for possibly-dead relatives wasn't what she was thinking of. Rolling her eyes, Jess spotted a good-sized rock near her feet. Okay, rock power, activate. Or something. The rock lifted at her will, and with a grunt of effort she flung it at the orc.

 

Kyle - Fear - xddddd

 

A mission. A mission was exactly what he needed. They'd landed somewhere in Quebec, and the group seemed to split up. Kyle began to wander himself, trudging along on his wolf-feet. Who were they looking for anyway, besides 'family'? Any sort of survivors who weren't working for the Dollar-Store Dark Lord? The Ripoff Ragnarok? The Chinese Bootleg Thanos? Kyle cackled to himself as he thought up of the nicknames, wondering if he'd ever get the opportunity to say it to the creature's face. It'd be nice, even if he were risking death.

 

Soon, monsters jumped out, attacking them. Kyle grinned. No awkwardly-placed wolf feet would stop him from kicking some orc ass! However, another, fresh orc came into the scene, then shot an arrow. It took a few precious moments for Kyle to realize that the arrow had stuck into his right foot, and it began to bleed. "Hey, man. You mind? No wonder you're single, with that attitude." He drawled, staring down the creature. It stared back at him, then began to reload.

 

"Come on, seriously? We need to work on our communication, Carl. This isn't going to work out, otherwise." Carl ignored him, obviously, knocking a fresh arrow. "Alright. COVER YOUR EARS!" He shouted, hoping all the other dudes in the area heard him.

 

Then he screamed.

[Mikasa361]

~@ Ryley~

 

A new Orc comes in Ryley’s direction and prepares to swing its axe. It misses by a stroke of luck.

[ValidEmotions]

Monica | Fear | Did you get the license plate of the bus that hit us?

 

Her magic faded as the world swayed. Staggering a couple steps, Monica brought a hand up to her face, closing her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Whoa..." she breathed. Her body suddenly felt... drained, not quite sucked dry of energy but there was still something not the same as before. Was that her magic? Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she pulled her headphones back down, surveying the work she'd done. No more Grublins but...

 

A large horde of Orcs approached, only for the majority to be mowed down by someone in a school bus. Blinking and rubbing her face, Monica stared as a kid jumped out, looking rather pleased with himself. So there was another Beacon? If any of the fire was to go by. She rolled her eyes - just one more idiot to join the ranks then. Bringing her hands together, she cracked her knuckles, locating an Orc that was closer. 

 

It looked as if Claris had already targeted it, charging the beast even as she stumbled. The girl melted into darkness and Monica smirked, tilting her head one way and then the other to crack her neck. She was tapped out on magic but that didn't mean she was tapped out from the fight. As soon as Claris reappeared behind the Orc, Monica began sprinting. The beast jerked and bellowed as the girl's knife plunged into its back. With a grunt, Monica brought her arm back and lobbed a right hook into the lower part of its jaw. 

 

The creature jerked sideways as Monica inhaled sharply as hot pain flooded her hand and traveled into her forearm. Note to self: don't punch the beasties with unprotected hands. Tears stung the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill as she stepped back quickly and shook out her very offended hand. "**** that hurts," Monica swore. 

 

With a guttural sound, the Orc reoriented itself and turned on the girls.

 

Ryley | Electricity | Ground ball!

 

Stopping to catch their breath, Ryley stared at Evonna as she knelt upon the ground. Tentatively, she started to reach out to touch the girl's shoulder but James' call distracted them, provoking them to look up and pull their hand back to their chest. "Hi James," they murmured, stepping back as he dropped down to hold Evonna. The other Beacon began to cry and Ryley shifted their weight from one foot to the other, uncertain of how to help. 

 

Looking over, they watched the fighting that ensued, Beacons against Orcs. "Oh..." they gasped as their eyes locked with one of the terrifying monsters. It roared, waving its axe wildly above its head before charging towards the trio. Swallowing, Ryley quickly glanced at the duo, a lump lodging in their throat. Fear flushed their body with a mixing of hot and cold sensations. Their arms lowered to their sides.

 

I must be crazy! Jogging forward, Ryley rushed to meet the beast, its heavy axe coming down in a horizontal sweep. Ryley ducked beneath it, holding their breath as they heard it pass by too fast. Jerking to their feet, they thrust their arms outward, sparks of electricity coming to life at their shoulders. Entire bolts raced down the length of their sleeves, leaping from their fingertips to strike the Orc in the torso. Immediately, the axe fell from its hand, staff crashing into the ground and the blunt head slamming into their hip. 

 

Crying out from the pain, they spun away from the fallen weapon...

 

And consequently flung sideways the beast that was still at their electrical mercy. 

 

"James! Watch out!"

[TehUltimateMage]

James Stannis | Quebec Suburbs | .............

 

"James, watch out!"

 

As the orc was released from Ryley's control it was flung to the ground, sliding with considerable momentum along the smooth asphalt.

 

Before the electric beacon's warning words could be processed by his brain, James -- or at least whatever instincts associated with his mysterious power -- sensed the beast and the tremors it generated to pinpoint its speed and direction. Evonna was in no state to fight or even witness the injuries people were sustaining. It was best to not upset her further. Without taking his nose out of her hair or her tear-stained face out of his chest or his mind off of her he closed his eyes and breathed in to focus his power. The herbal scents of her shampoo reminded him of all the things worth protecting.

 

A wall of earth rose from the ground behind James to shield the two. Irregular in shape and formed from a mix of crushed concrete, dirt, and stone, it intercepted the orc's forward path; the monster collided with it with a sickening thud and James could feel the impact on his barrier.

 

Rogue sparks dissipated from its body now that they were grounded. The electric kid did good.

 

Thank you, Ryley.

 

[Mikasa361]

~Jehan- It’s her.~ 

 

Jehan observed the young man’s very erratic nature. He understood that he probably shouldn’t be touched by some random stranger, so he simply set down the first aid kit. It would be better for him to join the fight “Okay, uh… If one of you wants to help him out, uh… Just… Use the distilled water to wash out the wound, that gauze and the pads should be sufficient to cover the wound, it doesn’t look like it’ll need stitches, thank God. Uh… Yeah. I’ll just go fight now.” Jehan carefully walked off to the main fight. There was a snake girl, kinda cute, being attacked by an Orc. She fought back with shadows, but Jehan decided to kill it off. Perhaps they would all be finished with this goddamn horde. 

 

He toasted the Orc like an ugly marshmallow. It crisped up in a matter of seconds. The girl looked at him, but he kept going. He saw a giant boulder, being wielded by a boy in a Blue Jays cap. Huh. He looked vaguely familiar, like he saw him at the high school once or twice before graduation. But Jehan did not know this young man, what he saw… Sent a chill up his spine. 

 

There was Evonna, his baby sister, in the boulder with the boy. She was sobbing, in the young man’s arms. Jehan ran to the boulder, trying to see if it was true. It was. Little Evonna was crying in the arms of a boy. She must have found out about Mere and Pere. He called out to her as he ran,

 

“Evonna! C'est moi! Je suis là, petite soeur!” Evonna! It’s me! I’m here, baby sister!

 

…

 

~Evonna- Reunited~

 

Evonna’s heart stopped when she heard the voice. She looked up from James’ shoulder, seeing the familiar half-up manbun that her big brother always wore. His caramel skin seemed to have paled as of recent, considering he probably spent his time in hiding. Evonna didn’t give a damn. That was her brother, Jehan Baptiste Durand. The brother she thought was long gone, just like her Mere and Pere. 

 

“Jehan? Je pensais que tu étais mort! Je ne peux pas le croire!” Jehan? I thought you were dead! I can’t believe it! 

 

...

 

@ everyone

 

A large green troll soon finds its way towards the group. It walks past the bus and Ryo’s group. It isn’t interested. It’s more interested in the giant boulder that stands in the middle of the street. It stomps its foot next to Jehan, who jumps out of the way. Time for the big bad boss.
 

[ValidEmotions]

Ryley | Electricity | Not done yet

 

Sighing in relief, Ryley let their shoulders sag when it was clear that James and Evonna were safe, even unharmed. The Orc no longer moved, it didn't even twitch any more with electricity. Someone started shouting from behind them and, a moment later, a person ran past them. Ryley stepped back, holding their arms tightly to their chest and staring wide-eyed at the dark-haired stranger. Turning back the way the stranger had come, they spot Monica and Claris facing down one last Orc. "Uh... guys?" Ryley calls nervously, glancing around at the other Beacons. 

 

Everyone was divided up into small groups, too focused with their own matters to apparently notice or do anything. Swallowing, Ryley starts toward the two girls, picking up their pace as they drew closer. The Orc was aiming its crossbow, towering above Claris and Monica. "No! Don't hurt them!" Ryley shouts, electricity arching down their arm and towards the beast. Their magic struck the creature in the side, forcing it to drop its weapon as it convulsed.

 

Monica | Fear | As obnoxious as ants

 

Stumbling back, Monica jerked her gaze towards Ryley as the kid pumped a steady current of electricity into the Orc. "Tch..." Monica humphed at the kill-steal, turning her attention to Claris instead. The other Beacon had an arrow in her leg and it probably didn't feel too great. Grabbing the other girl's arm without so much as a "here", Monica positioned herself under Claris' arm so that the other Beacon's arm was slung around her shoulders and Monica could grab her opposite side. "Out of the road, kid; it isn't safe," Monica muttered to Claris, her crack at sarcastic humor. 

 

Something made the ground tremble and it only got louder. Looking over, Monica swore beneath her breath at the sight of an approaching troll. Couldn't today just end already? As it approached Jame's little group, Monica settled Claris down on the ground and stood straighter, rubbing the back of her head. There was no way she could fight off a troll, not with her magic tapped out. "Hey, do any of you loons wanna regroup and, oh I don't know... maybe help take down the nasty beast?!" Monica shouted at the rest of the Beacons.

Edited May 27, 2018 by ValidEmotions

[Mikasa361]

~Zhibek-  you Monica~

 

Zhibek rolled her eyes and muttered in Kazakh in response to Monica’s nasty jab. Loons, my left asscheek, she thinks to herself. Zhibek sent a small tornado the Troll’s way, and it actually hit. The Troll made a noise of pain and smacked its paw into the side of the bus. The handsome stranger gripes about his bus getting damaged and sent a bit of fire that way. It nearly hit Monica, but it missed the Troll. He shouted in what sounded like French, and was maybe a curse. Either way, Zhibek was ready for another blow.

[skwerl56767]

   Troll Time!

  

   Reive barely processes Basil's struggling, until he notices that, in fact, he tackled Basil. Surprised at himself, the Draconoid let him go, pulling him back a bit away from the rest of the fighting. He had never been in a real fight before, so it was astounding that already, it was ending. Monica had her headphones on - perhaps that's what paralyzed him? - and Ryley and Evonna were missing, but everyone else had recovered swiftly. Skahtii had kicked off his suppressing corpse, which landed just ahead of a front of orcs, and was already up on his feet in preparation for them. Both he and Reive couldn't help but look behind the attackers at an incoming vehicle though.
   Skahtii's interest piqued. He knew what that was! They always had utilitarian goodies, like small pencils or sticky notes!
   Reive was terrified. What in tarnation's name was that?! Why was it huge and yellow?! Why was it making that awful sound?!
 

   He rightly sprung back when it plowed into the oncoming orcs, only shoving Basil further behind him and possibly knocking him over. Skahtii only cheered at the crash, not even bothering to put some space between him and it, and definitely not moving when fire came from its open windows and scorched some of the surviving orcs. "Dude! Awesome!!"
   Dislike! Reive could only think, hilariously-anticlimactically. That fire did not come from Ryo! Then the driver of the bus stepped out, smiling, pointing at the group in a rather hip way which Skahtii returned enthusiastically, and Reive only narrowed his eyes with skepticism. That was a human, who just used fire like a Beacon; but there were no other Beacons. There were only those that the Guardians took in! There was no hope of one surviving out here by himself; and just to enforce his worries, James accused Aurelius of not knowing about the newcomer.
   This had to be a trap.
   Reive let Basil shuffle behind him - encouraged him, even - not trusting the stranger. He was so occupied with watching him that he ignored the incoming orcs, only noting that they were on the other side of the group and weren't within trident distance yet. Skahtii jumped at a nearby shout as one of said orcs attacked Ryo, leaving a long gash in his shoulder. He ran right up to it and hissed, intimidating it, only to jump back again when both Ryo and the stranger lit it up with flames. The latter then ran back to the bus, shouting assurance; perhaps to get something? Reive could only grip his trident's handle tighter.
 

   Skahtii, on the other hand, was eagerly reassessing the fight. A screech! Arrows! Shadows! Electricity! A boulder! Unfortunately, however, he was too slow to anticipate Kyle's warning amidst all the chaos.
   First he noticed a tingling sensation, somehow resonating within his bones, and then the magic hit him. For some reason the scream sounded ordinary, and more like a shout, so Skahtii didn't realize what was happening until he suddenly locked up.
   Whoa whoa whoa whoa WHOA WHOA-
   The Scorp started backing up in a hurry! It was such a bizarre sensation: he knew he was moving, but he didn't know why, and he also couldn't tell how or where he was going. He couldn't process what was going on; but maybe everything had stopped? He couldn't tell if he was seeing something or nothing at all. It was like his mind suddenly hit a wall, and the wall was a vacuum that just absorbed things-
 

   Suddenly everything came back in a rush! The noise, the shouts, the thundering of something very large coming close - wait, what happened?
   Skahtii found himself standing braced, in the back of the group, the school bus to his left and an immense troll towering over Earth magic condensed in the center. He could glimpse the brim of James's cap past the web of stone around him, as well as someone he was protecting. Reive had went around the troll and backed Basil up to the bus so there was something at his back. Ryley was suddenly here and taking out the last orc.
   The Scorp put a hand to the augmented side of his face, partly-wishing the scrap doctor had given him that stick of memory that his mother so eagerly declined on paying for; then he could rewind everything to see what happened!
   Let's not worry about that right now, his mind interjected, watching the troll stumble from Zhibek's Wind attack. It smacked the side of the bus opposite of Reive, prompting him to jab impulsively at the creature. Even though the trident points bounced off a stony wart in the Troll's paw, Skahtii had to note his precision. Man, I should have taken fishing lessons!
 

   Reive's confidence was faltering with the immense, green, frog-like beast towering over him, even while he held it at trident-point. Despite the chill of the Canadian air his icicles were melting and dulling at the points, trying to cool him back down since he could no longer sweat. His head darted to one of the beast's rear legs as a bright russet blur shot over to it; alas, just off the mark! The troll grunted and jerked its leg, reacting to a splatter of acid dissolving on its coarse fur; Skahtii tumbled to a stop on the other side of it. He glared up at the troll, as if it was its fault for making him miss, wiping a bit of green magic from his mouth.

[TehUltimateMage]

 

Claris Day | Quebec Suburbs | what a pain...

 

Monica wound up, pulled her arm back, and socked the orc right in the jaw.

 

Claris' gaze communicated a lot in the brief second she made eye contact with the young woman: camaraderie, understanding, awe, and a little bit of fear, but she pulled her blade out of the orc's back and kicked off it, right in time to avoid getting caught in Rylie's electric attack. She hissed out a curse when she stumbled on her landing because of her injury, but to her surprise Monica had grabbed her by the arm to stop her from crumbling onto the asphalt.

 

She let out a long huff from her nose, eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed thin into a frown. She hated being helped like this, but she remained silent and let the woman help her carry her weight, nodding her head at Monica's remark more out of habit than from thanks.

 

Once the older girl let go, preoccupied instead with a new threat, Claris pulled at her magical energy. The wisps of shadows returned, flowing around her like bits of smoke to conceal her presence from the giant troll. Other people could deal with that, and it was better to stay out of the way than to be some dead weight needing to be protected. It frustrated her that she still had magic to use but her attacks needed her to get up close. She wasn't confident with her reaction time, with that careless arrow wound. It wasn't worth the risk.

 

Sure that she wouldn't be interrupted, Claris clamped her teeth into the bandana at her neck and wrapped her fingers around the shaft of the crossbow bolt in her leg. She drew in a sharp breath holding it in her lungs while she primed herself for the operation, then gave it a firm yank to tear the arrow back out of her flesh. That was one less thing for Aurelius to worry about when he came around to give first aid.

 

 

James Stannis | Quebec Suburbs | All-out attack!

 

At the shout of the earlier voice claiming to be Evonna's brother, James loosened his hug on her enough for the girl to regain her bearings and escape his arms. Her sibling would know how to cheer her up better than he ever could, and he felt like it would be best if they reunited. He felt like he should happy that they did find part of Evonna's family, making this mission a success -- but all he could focus on was how there was no way composed Evonna could be related to this... embarrassment.

 

He was forced to turn his thoughts and attention off the attention-seeking Jehan when another monster crashed into his stone barrier and shattered it into a cloud of dust and gravel. James winced more out of reflex than from pain, covering his face with his arm to protect it from flying debris. He took a peek above his elbow and concluded that this monster was much bigger than the orcs they had faced but, there was only one of it this time instead of eleven run over by a school bus. The Beacon's team was already on it, each going in with an attack of their element.

 

"You picked the wrong people to mess with," he muttered.

 

The rest of James' broken earth shield crumbled back into the ground as he dispelled it to gather his strength. Then, he jumped -- both feet landed together on the concrete, propelling a quaking yellow shockwave out in all directions and to his satisfaction, the quake caused the Troll lose its footing and crash to the ground.

 

"Here's our chance! Let's get 'em!" he called out, his teeth bared in a grin.

Edited May 29, 2018 by TehUltimateMage

[Mikasa361]

After this, James feels suddenly a bit more powerful. LEVEL UP.

 

~Evonna- Don’t with me.~

 

Jehan tried to send fire at the Troll, but to no avail. It was James who got to knock it down.

 

Evonna slipped from James’ embrace when he let go of her. She knew what she needed to do. These horrible things that killed her parents, that could have killed her brother, that have killed and made so many suffer…. She refused to allow it. “Right! Time to make a nice frozen treat.” While the Troll was down, Evonna sent a freezing-cold fury its way. The shards cut into the Troll’s thick flesh while the cold temperature sent crystals of ice along the surface.

 

The Troll howled in pain, but Evonna didn’t care. This could’ve been what killed Mere and Pere. Or at the very least it was there when it happened, it had to have been. Those damn creatures never leave an area without need. Evonna smirked. “That’s for my parents, you son of a ****.”

 

…

 

~Armin- Determination!~

 

Armin knew that those creatures were bad. He took pride in the fact that he managed to toast an Orc. But this was a Troll, much too big to handle on his own. It eased him to see the other Beacons attack it. Maybe people weren’t as inherently awful as he thought. James managed to knock it over, whilst Evonna froze it so that it couldn’t move much. They made a good one-two punch. It must have been in pain, but Armin didn’t care. It was time for him to add salt to the wound. He felt himself feel just a bit more powerful (level up!)

 

Armin sent a wicked jolt of electricity at the Troll. It twitched at the blast, the shell of ice cracking and bursting. Armin shielded himself. He didn’t want to get hurt by collateral damage, after all. It seemed to be low-energy now, returning to its four legs. One of its paws struck the ground in front of Armin, but his catlike reflexes kept him from being knocked down or squished. Now he was ready to see this thing fall, Armin was engaged in this fight.